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Old 05-21-2013, 08:20 AM
 
Location: Cincinnati near
2,628 posts, read 4,279,271 times
Reputation: 6114

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Quote:
Originally Posted by kjbrill View Post

Years ago our favoite chili parlor was the Marathon Inn on Montgomery Rd in Silverton. It was absolutely run by a family of Greeks. Their menu clearly stated; a 4-Way with onions, a 5-Way with onions and beans, if you don't want onions order a 5-Way hold the onions. I just thought it was a homey touch. Who wants Cincinnati Chili multiple ways without the onions? Especially if you are ordering beans, they will do more to you than the onions.

The Marathon Inn was our favorite place for another reason, their fabulous double-decker sandwiches. They had so many on the menu you ordered by number. I just remember #11, Ham & Beef, my all time favorite. It came with some thin sliced tomato, lettuce, and a spread of mayo on toasted bread. The problem was the bread was too small. By the time you got done you had a pile of sliced meat in your hand since the bread could not contain it.
The building that used to be the Marathon Inn is now called Silverton Cafe, and it is a regular watering hole of mine. I love the tripledecker ham, roast beef, and egg on rye. I meet the most eclectic bunch of people there, whether it is the Moeller HS baseball coaching staff, a bachelorette party with young children tagging along, bikers, "chick show" (Grey's anatomy, Mad Men, etc) watching social groups, karaoke regulars, and many more. Last week I was watching the Reds game there a young guy was slow dancing with a woman that appeared old enough to be his grandmother to 80s rock, and that was not even the strangest thing going on that night.
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Old 05-21-2013, 09:46 AM
 
Location: Mason, OH
9,259 posts, read 16,700,854 times
Reputation: 1954
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chemistry_Guy View Post
The building that used to be the Marathon Inn is now called Silverton Cafe, and it is a regular watering hole of mine. I love the tripledecker ham, roast beef, and egg on rye. I meet the most eclectic bunch of people there, whether it is the Moeller HS baseball coaching staff, a bachelorette party with young children tagging along, bikers, "chick show" (Grey's anatomy, Mad Men, etc) watching social groups, karaoke regulars, and many more. Last week I was watching the Reds game there a young guy was slow dancing with a woman that appeared old enough to be his grandmother to 80s rock, and that was not even the strangest thing going on that night.
Actually the current building was originally the Silverton Five & Dime. The original Marathon Inn was further up the street in the middle of the block closer to the bank. When the Dime Store building became available they moved there to expand. The availability of the parking lot to the rear was a big deal, as they put a large lounge section in the rear of the building.

Were you around when they attempted to convert a gas station at the northwest corner of Section and Montgomery into a carryout? They had all of the fare on the menu but in carryout form only. I don't believe it lasted very long.

Haven't been to the Silverton Cafe in a long time. We have a group of retirees from my former company who meet in a traveling luncheon (drink and drown) on the 3rd Thursday of the month. One of our regular stops is Chicken On the Run on Ohio Ave in Deer Park. I must suggest we try out the Silverton Cafe.

Since Blue Ash Chili opened their 2nd location in Mason about 1/2 mile from me, I have no problem satisfying my double-decker cravings, 5-ways, etc.

But I have very fond memories of the Marathon Inn. One of the original family members, named Vince, had a bad leg and walked with a limp. He served the front counter. The others just badgered him to death, but the customers loved him due to his pleasant disposition. He always had a smile on his face. Memories like that stick with you when you get old.
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Old 05-22-2013, 08:30 AM
 
Location: Mason, OH
9,259 posts, read 16,700,854 times
Reputation: 1954
Chemistry_Guy...

When we start talking about older restaurants the list can just go on and on. Grafton's Hop Off Inn on Montgomery Rd east of Plainville was a favorite of my family for years. As some of the family members began to move out of Cincinnati for various reasons we knew when they came back to visit Grafton's was on their list of where to go. The wife and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner there and I assure everyone had a good time. Since we just had our 50th anniversay this past year you can tell Grafton's was a favorite.

Other family favorites were Dick Porfidio's Wishing Well over in the valley and Schuller's Wigwam on Hamilton Ave. in College Hill. We held many family functions there back when they were prime locations for good food and happy times, and I may say also profitable. None of them made a list of gourmet restaurants, but for very good food at affordable prices where we could take our family and not break the monthly budget they stood out.

It is a shame changing demographics in neighborhoods cause such establishments to become non-profitable and close.

You say ham, beef, and egg triple-decker on rye at Silverton Grill. Is the rye a larger size loaf, that is big diameter slices, so you don't end up with a hand full of meat?

I love Blue Ash Chili, but they do really need to use larger diameter bread on the double-deckers. I would gladly pay an additional 25 cents a sandwich for some decent sized bread. NO, don't cut the meat, increase the size of the bread.

I have noticed Gold Star introduced double-deckers on their menu. Since so many of the independents were noted for double-deckers in addition to the chili, somebody at Gold Star apparently woke up and said we are missing a market here. I will admit I have not tried a Gold Star double-decker yet, so I can't comment on the quality. But I will give them a double-plus for advertising they are using locally produced product - Blue Grass Meats, etc.

So the restaurant wars continue.
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Old 05-22-2013, 12:08 PM
 
Location: Cincinnati near
2,628 posts, read 4,279,271 times
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kjbrill,

I don't remember exactly what the rye looks like, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is just your typical pre-sliced bread from the grocery. The food in general is just bar food, but the double deckers are cheap and good. I also like the Manhattan Club when I don't have the appetite for the triple decker. I think the triple decker is 5.75 or something like that.

I started going to the Marathon Inn around 1988 or so when my siblings and cousins on the Pleasant Ridge swim team would go there after meets. I remember that it was always quiet, and the decor was probably the tackiest I have seen, with garishly painted walls, hideous vinyl seats, lots of cheap looking metallic (think Christmas ornaments) decorations hanging everywhere. It was also always deserted (except for my family) and often the only employee would be an older gentleman who served as the cook, waiter, and bartender.

I am not sure if it is amusing or depressing, but the current Silverton Cafe attracts a fairly rowdy crowd. While there is plenty of drinking going on in the bars in Clifton or Mt. Adams, Silverton Cafe is a different level in my opinion. It is one of the few places where you see people bring their kids or grandkids and really booze it up on a quiet Tuesday night. I like to call it a family bar. You mentioned Chicken on the Run in Deer Park earlier, which is only a few blocks away fro my house. I think that place has a similar vibe. I went there last night around dark when I got finished working in my yard, and the place was packed with a softball team of 50+ year old men in full uniform, their wives and children, and they were all still there when I left at the end of the Reds game (10:30 or so).
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Old 05-22-2013, 08:01 PM
 
Location: Mason, OH
9,259 posts, read 16,700,854 times
Reputation: 1954
Chemistry_Guy...

You say Marathon Inn in 1988. By that time I had kids in their mid-twenties. Another of our haunts in Silverton was Squire Jacks, the fish sandwich place. So we obviously missed each other in passing. You must have come on the scene a little later. I had an aunt, 12 years younger than me, who used to close up the bar at the Meijer Wine Cellar on Plainfield Rd on a regular basis. Silverton had its times back then.
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Old 05-23-2013, 03:13 PM
 
Location: Mason, OH
9,259 posts, read 16,700,854 times
Reputation: 1954
For some strange reason I decided to go have a 5-way for lunch at our local Blue Ash Chili outlet in Mason. It has probably been 15 years at least since I had one of their chili ways, as I usually cannot get past the double-decker sandwiches. Along with the 5-way had a Yuengling draft. Glad to see Yuengling has come to Cincinnati - good beer.

Frankly, I was disappointed in the 5-way. Typical Blue Ash it was a good portion and the ingredients were fine. I just thought it was kind of bland, not enough spice or something. Even after I doused the entire dish with hot sauce, it still tasted bland. My homemade version of Cincinnati Chili definitely has more kick to it. That is probably why it has been 15 years or more since I have ordered one of their ways. But no problem, since I still love their double-deckers and will be a regular customer for the ham & beef. You can't please everybody all of the time.
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Old 05-24-2013, 10:24 AM
 
6,295 posts, read 11,005,087 times
Reputation: 3085
Skyline needs to update their logo. It is now outdated thanks to the addition of the Great American Tower. :-)
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Old 05-24-2013, 10:22 PM
 
17,336 posts, read 13,066,463 times
Reputation: 32629
Quote:
Originally Posted by CinciFan View Post
Sometimes I like getting a SMALL 5-way with light mustard on it. Then, I pour my oyster crackers onto the larger plate, and slide the 5-way over top of the crackers. Adds some crunch to to it.

I'll have to try it with those jalepeno peppers sometime... I can call it a 7-way.
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Old 05-24-2013, 10:25 PM
 
17,336 posts, read 13,066,463 times
Reputation: 32629
Quote:
Originally Posted by kjbrill View Post

The Marathon Inn was our favorite place for another reason, their fabulous double-decker sandwiches. They had so many on the menu you ordered by number. I just remember #11, Ham & Beef, my all time favorite. It came with some thin sliced tomato, lettuce, and a spread of mayo on toasted bread. The problem was the bread was too small. By the time you got done you had a pile of sliced meat in your hand since the bread could not contain it.

.
We loved The Marathon until they got nailed several times for reusing food off people's plates when bussed
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Old 05-24-2013, 10:50 PM
 
Location: Cincinnati
4,471 posts, read 6,179,359 times
Reputation: 1303
Quote:
Originally Posted by WILWRadio View Post
Skyline needs to update their logo. It is now outdated thanks to the addition of the Great American Tower. :-)
Skyline sucks,
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